BOROUGH councillor Paul Brothwood is looking to promote next year's Black Country Festival by creating school champions.

Cllr Brothwood, who represents Wordsley, believes the champions will help raise the region's profile and people's awareness of the area at the same time.

And the UKIP councillor wants to take the idea further by linking schools together through their champions.

He said: "I'm hoping that schools buy into the concept.

"They could choose their champion from someone who has done well academically or through sport, whatever they feel appropriate.

"Then I'd like to take the idea further by linking schools together through their champions.

"Last year's Black Country Festival, which was run through the community, proved a huge success and I feel that through school champions, it will only help people understand their identity.

"The focus is very much on schools, getting them together, just like the old pen-pal system did.

"I also want it to be non political. It's all about young people actively engaging with each other.

"I'm hoping Dudley borough backs my proposal, but if not. I'd still like to try and run it across Wordsley and the borough."